Wednesday, December 19, 2012

I recently audited a Joe Wolter Colt Starting & Horsemanship clinic at Sullivan Farm Hanoverians. I love observing clinics and often leave with far more knowledge than I can possibly absorb. I feel if I can apply three - five new things from each clinic, I am lucky.

My observations and notes are my own, and it is entirely possible I have misconstrued some of Joe Wolter's teachings. I suggest going to his website and attending a clinic if he is ever in your area.

One thing I am off to buy right now is a small blue tarp. Now, I know Oberon has no fear of walking on one, in fact he seems to enjoy "killing" it. I have also walked by a huge barn door with one flapping sky high in the wind, having come loose from the bricks on the ground. I thought I was in for all sorts of "crazy", but Oberon didn't even blink an eye.

I have never rubbed one all over his body, nor have I had him drag one behind us with a rope.

But what IF he was afraid? How does one approach fear with a horse. We MUST remember to do it the horses way as it is about building the horses confidence.

Make sure it is a learning process NOT a forcing process.

1) Find the line in the sand where your horse is comfortable, a place that allows him to be comfortably curious. Let a horse be curious - DON'T hold them there. Curiosity comes AFTER fright.

2) Back up or turn the horse away from the line. Don't push him over. Retreat and face. The "line" will eventually get closer to the object. Take the horse away before he takes you away.

3) Redirect the energy. Trot away, walk toward the object, respect the new line drawn in the sand. If the horse tenses up, send off - we are battling self-preservation. So do something when the horses life (fear) comes up. Go back to # 2 as many times as necessary.

4) Repeat, stay calm. It may take days. Be patient, trust the horse. Make sure you don't tense up. Loosen reins so he can lower head and sniff. Again, any tensing by the horse, go back to #2 & #3.

I have seen riders force a horse to take on an object they are scared of. I confess, I have not always taken the appropriate time and respected the "safety line" but nudged Oberon closer instead of turning away when I could feel he didn't truly want to take forward steps. The worst thing I can do in a fear situation is not give him enough time.

I'll let you know how Oberon does being rubbed by and dragging the tarp. (I will have to be sure I have the arena to myself as I'm sure there are many boarders who would not appreciate this. :)

Thursday, November 8, 2012

We moved from Fiore Farms to Rockingham Equestrian Center. I won't go into the details, but our barn managers moved to a new location as well. Oberon is pasture buddies with Zip, a QH gelding that made the move as well and they are getting along fabulously.

I have been lucky enough to find a place with an indoor arena

and the stall situation is awesome. He has a door to an outside paddock, where he can see his neighbors in the paddock next to his and he can also watch the action in the indoor arena.

I miss my old barn "family" (humans and horses) but I think we landed on our feet. This is a photo of the one of three horse barns on the property.

Most importantly, the attention to detail by the farm's owners is wonderful. I think we will really enjoy ourselves in our new home.

I hand walked Oberon on the few short trails that surround the farm the first full day. He was awesome and I was proud as he went out all by himself. The following day I rode him, again, by himself, and he was perfectly behaved. I love this little guy so much.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

(All attempts at explaining what I learned at the Buck clinic are just that... I might "mis-speak". The best thing is to attend a Buck clinic ;)

I've really been pondering what I learned at the Buck clinic. And I think this year I have really focused on the word "Balance". In my opinion, this is what riding is really all about. And it isn't just about the rider, it is also about the horse. A balanced horse has an engaged hind end. For the hind end to engage, the withers must rise. When this happens with a "soft feel" (without yanking on the horses mouth) then true collection can be pursued.

A review of seat positions:

Position 2 is upright in saddle, above your seatbones. This is the riding position.
Position 1 is slightly forward and used only for upward transitions.
Position 3 is on your pockets. This is used only for downward transitions or the stop.

Backing up is done from position 2 with shoulders ever so slightly back from center of gravity and legs opened a touch.

One exercise Buck had the riders doing was small serpentines. I found a clip from two years ago on You Tube. Bucks demonstration is much better than my summary below!

A series of half circles which are short and tight. He likens it to riding around small sagebrush. The horse transitions from 'bend" to "bend" with, at most, a couple straight steps (if any) in between the circles. This challenges the rider to focus on where the horse's feet are as one must ask for the horse to do a new transition when the feet are in the appropriate place... otherwise the rider trips the horse up! Swinging in this way, doing serpentines, bending laterally, helps release braces in both body and mind.

...and remember, when beginning a turn, ask the foot to move to the side as it is coming off the ground, by opening your inside leg and holding your rein out, from the hip, to "open up". Also, remember to bend the head around with a soft feel, and ask with your seat and legs and your "look" first, reins only if needed.

The following is a pretty good example of a rider doing the serpentine. The clinic I went to, Buck had the riders doing it on the rail. The rider below seems to be doing a bit more of a crazy 8 (perhaps going a bit past that center line Buck refers to in the video above)

Oberon and I have worked quite a bit on serpentines, and I think we are getting pretty good. I even noticed today that their was a bit of "hang time" when he moved his inside leg out about 6" to make the bend. That is great, as I don't want him to hurry - hurrying can create a "down-hill" horse - heavy on the front end.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

The following are excerpts from my notes and content and quotes might be inaccurate. I am doing my best to repeat what I wrote down in my notebook from the Buck Brannaman clinic I attended.

I have learned a lot from Cooler Horsemanship. Much of what Buck said in his clinic I have heard from James Cooler, but auditing the Buck clinic for four days really allowed things to sink in. One thing I have been working on a lot lately is riding from my seat and I loved watching the following:

"Walk, trot, canter with a loose reign, then one can collect".

There are three seat positions, actually four.

Position one: On pelvis for a moment (and obviously used for jumping) when asking a horse to go faster, but then it is immediately into position two.

Position two: Athletic stance - straight up, on balls of feet.

Position three: Feet forward, deep pockets.

Position four: Your butt hits the ground.

Class Exercise: Ride with your seat while walking on a loose reign.

Talk about out of sync... some horses took off and others never changed pace. Some riders didn't loosen their reigns even though they thought they had. A few did a nice job. The worst offenders seemed to be a dressage and an english rider. And Buck did not go easy on them, but he was honest.

Buck encouraged some to use their legs to get their horses going.

"It is impossible to have a horse light to the hand that is dull to the leg. My leg is pushing on an air bubble, especially the lower leg. (and my leg is saying) "I have every intent to kick you if you don't listen to this good deal." Buck went on to say that legs were only used for transitions, not for maintenance of impulsion.

"Riding is supposed to be discreet. If my horse starts to slow, I might kick a fart out of her."

(a side note: I tried this on Oberon. He slowed, I followed through and gave him a BIG kick with both legs. He really jumped forward! Since then, all I have had to do is pull both feet out from his sides and he speeds up. I have not had to wollup him again since!)

Of course, no Buck clinic is complete without a few quotes from Ray Hunt "See how little you can do to get them to trot".

And so, as the class went 'round and 'round the ring, Buck kept offering advice.

"Try to make it invisible. Slow walk to fast walk ... liven up YOUR body.

I believe the horse above was Buck's "green" horse - which I found amusing as most people's horses never behave
and listen as nicely as this gelding.

Fascinating and my notebook is full of advice:

Lateral flexing - Buck looks for a soft feel, pole slightly higher than the withers, ears level, with head turned; it doesn't have to be all the way back to the riders foot.

Longitudinal flexing - he is looking for the proper elevation of the head. The head WAY down (like the western pleasure show people like - he called it the "new fad" - holds the rib cage and spine down... spurs do NOT lift a horses back.

So how does one raise withers without getting the horse dull to our hands and legs?

Well, Buck said the pole must elevate to the proper position, the withers must rise so the horses hips can engage.

And there are exercises for this. I will highlight them in my next posts.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Buck Brannaman is a legend in the horse world for some. After auditing a clinic I must say, on horseback he is "poetry-in-motion". He makes everything appear elegant and simple... which of course, when I went to apply what I learned back at my "home" arena with my horse, it wasn't easy at all. It takes a lot of patience and practice.

The four day clinic I attended was held at Sullivan Farm Hanoverians , a top notch private farm that has been hosting Buck every other fall for many years. I think there were about 15 - 20 riders in the Horsemanship 1 class.

So much information is at hand at a clinic like this, so I had a notebook handy and wrote down bits and pieces of what registered with me. My next few posts will be about things that made me pause and think. My first "pause & think" moment is below.

Buck is a patient man, but there is no room for "non-listeners". That goes for his students AND his horses. He said:

"My horse needs to be quiet enough not to draw my attention". He expects accurate movement, no milling around. If one is tuned out by their horse, he said to change subjects.

"You want your horse always aware of you. Be aware of your horse! Fidgeting? Direct that! Think of it as a gift. Do something with that energy; redirect it or it will be a negative."

This is a photo of the new stables my horse, Oberon, is boarding. I sold my horse, Sebastian, to my manager trainer and they are now at a different barn as well. I am really excited, though, as I may be trail riding with Sebastian & James this weekend.

If you are a Buck Brannaman fan, check back here in a few days as I have a few photos and a rundown of the clinic I attended a couple of weeks ago.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

We are taking a bit of a break from the dressage saddle and are riding with a bareback pad. The girls love Oberon's trot for posting, but it isn't the easiest to sit. So, for balance and a change of pace, this is what they have been doing. I already see an amazing improvement in their balance and it will be interesting after another week to see if their riding in the saddle has improved.

I rode him today and I worked on look, leg and "hopefully no" lead. Every time Oberon deviated from my straight line, I circled him around and put him back on track. We started with the walk, and then a trot. We really did make progress! I want to get really good before I try it at a canter as I am also trying to get him to feel my energy and drive "stop" as well without using any rein.

I know it is all very basic. But, this is where we are.

I know Oberon's head should be carried differently for better collection, and that will be addressed eventually, I'm sure.

Of course, we always find time for ground play, and I had a fun time working him in a crazy 8 around two cones and also an exercise while I walked a straight line and he half circled and cut back and forth in front of me. I will try and get a video of both of these as they are a lot of fun.

The summer heat has lifted and riding is a joy again!

And of course, after a hose down, a bit of green grass is always a nice reward!

Monday, September 3, 2012

I am saving for a new saddle, and I think I am leaning towards a County dressage... either the Perfection or the Fusion. Or the Parelli English Fluidity. Since we have decided NOT to buy a second horse, I feel I can splurge. In a few months I will order a few demos and will post all about the saddles.

For now, I have a Wintec Isabell Dressage which I paid only $200. I have only ever ridden western, so a used Wintec was a practical course. I have found I love the dressage saddle.

Currently, I have problems with Oberon's saddle slipping forward. I purchased a nice thin line pad, but it too slipped forward. I then used an ugly foamy thing between the saddle and the blanket, but ... well, it was ugly. So, I found a "No-Slip Pad" made by Nunn Finer and so far it has REALLY worked. I place it directly on the horses back and the saddle pad. I also love their colorful dressage pads HERE. Crisp white (see my nice new one above) is always striking, but how long does it take to get dirty? Plus, these colors look fun for the fall and winter months ahead.

Once I get my custom fit saddle, hopefully this little problem will be a thing of the past, but for now it seems to be working.

Do you have a favorite dressage saddle? If so, what is the brand? Any favorite shims?

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Summer is almost over and we were on vacation in Illinois and Michigan. But, it is great to be home! We missed Oberon and have spent the past week reviewing ground work and doing a lot of trotting. He had a leg injury and we couldn't ride him for two months, so we are building muscle.

And of course - everything turns into a photoshoot! :)

The oversize Wintec the girls ride in is below. We are saving our money up for nice fitted, dressage saddles...

and I'm also wishing for a horse trailer...but that will have to wait a few years. The video below is Catherine Haddad Staller sharing the Theault (www.stadiumtrucks.com) (www.theault-america.com). I'm sure I won't end up with anything this pricey or fancy... but one can dream.

Saturday, June 30, 2012

The Owner's photograph of this eleven year old half Arab/ half QH mare

UPDATE: The offer fell through due to the owner selling her to someone else. I guess it wasn't meant to be. So, I'm still looking.

I am considering purchasing this beautifully sweet eleven year old half Arabian, half QH mare. She is a fantastic height for me (15 h) and is sensible and a wonderful trail horse. I enjoyed my visit with her and she lives close enough that my vet (the one I trust explicitly) will be able to do the pre-purchase exam. I detected no lameness in her and the owner said she has owned her for 2 -1/2 years and never has this horse been lame. She does wear shoes on the front feet and did when she bought her.

The owner was up front with me and said she has ringbone, and did when she bought her. I am sure she told me, but I can't remember if she told me it was "low" or "high". "HERE" is a brief explanation of what this is from "Holistic Hoof and Horsecare".

HorseTrue.com has a great post about ringbone "HERE" which include three videos that do a great job explaining this condition.

I have yet to hear back from the owner with specifics to questions I had after getting home and reading about this. I also will have my vet take a look at her as I know it depends where it is located and what is the cause (conformation, bad shoeing, wear and tear, an accident...)

I do not expect you to make my decision for me... I will do that upon advice from my vet and further looking into it myself.

My question to you reading this post is ... Do you have experience with ringbone and what would you do the same or differently?

If you have anything to add or say, please feel free to do so. I appreciate your thoughts and input.

Secretariat as a baby in the fall of 1970 at the Meadow Stable
in Doswell, VA - courtesy of Google Images

I'm not a huge race horse fan. I remember as a little girl worrying about the horses falling and breaking a leg. But this big boy's story amazes me and inspires me. I loved the Hollywood movie, and perhaps it wasn't factual, but it was inspiringly beautiful. I highly recommend it.

One of the last videos of Secretariat in the pasture:

My favorite photo to date is below. It is of Secretariat with his groom, Eddie Sweat. The website and article I got this photo from is HERE.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Here is photographer, Amanda Lockhart, (love her British accent) giving tips on how to photograph your horse. I am going to try the action tips at the end. She has a few books for sale - her website is Amanda Lockhart Photography

And putting her advice into action, here is a photo I like much better in B&W:

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Oberon has really come a long way with ground play since we got him. Actually, so have we! It surprises me HOW MUCH I enjoy ground work. I grew up just hopping on and riding - my girls are just the opposite. There have been many times when I was willing to skip it, but they insisted upon it, and what do you know? Oberon showed us his "mind wasn't in the game" of riding yet. He was "bad" and challenged us, acting squirrelly - certainly not in the state of mind I wanted my daughters riding him (or myself) out on the trail.

Simple cues from my body, a hand motion, a step forward, backward, and others are noticed by my horse and he responds. I watch many people lunge their horses, and the horse tunes them out. The trick is the horse must be tuned in at all times for this to work. And vice versa. I must notice everything my horse is doing... and thinking. It really is total communication and another positive element is I am establishing I am the boss. I tell him when to move forward, backward, sideways, when to speed up, speed down, stop, go, and so-on.

It really does become a game, and when I watch those who really have done it for a long time, I would liken it to a dance. It is magical when you see freedom work done... no halter, no rope is attached. Just true communication, respect, and obedience.

My daughters and I are at different stages in our ability with Oberon on the ground, and he is a good boy to work with all of us. Following is a 2 minute video showing my daughter working with him today.

And, we rode him today... two months of no riding as he was healing from a kicking injury to his back legs. We didn't canter today, but I think his trot looks great. All of the images and the video were taken with my iPhone.

I see his saddle had moved up a bit here -we do ride with it in back of his shoulders. I have a tendency to want to be "nice" and not tighten the saddle as much as I should.